Cycling's World Hour Record

Note: Early in 2014 the UCI modified the rules for bikes used in World Hour Record attempts. Now a rider can use a bike that currently conforms to the rules for track pursuit bikes. That means aero bars and disc wheels, among other things. this page will be updated later...

The World Hour Record is the greatest distance traveled on a bike in 1 hour. For most of its history World Hour Record attempts were done on a normal track bike on a velodrome. The first instance of a record done at altitude was when William Hamilton rode 40,781 meters at a Denver velodrome.

In 1968 Ole Ritter traveled to the Mexico City velodrome and added over a half-kilometer to Ferdi Bracke's record. Eddy Merckx also took advantage of the thin air in Mexico City to establish a record in 1972.

From then on the record was extended mainly through the use of improved aerodynamics, in both equipment and rider postion.

Concerned that the record was losing relevance and that the athlete's performance was being lost in the technological innovation, in September 2000, the UCI established 2 Hour Records:

Hour Record. Done on a normal track bike with a normal riding postion. At the time of the change Eddy Merckx's 1972 record was re-established as the valid World Hour Record. Since then the record has been extended. There are several numbers given for Coppi's record, I've posted the official UCI distance.

Best Human Effort. For those records using upright bikes without fairings but with other aero equiment such as disc wheels, aero bars and with special aerodynamic rider postions being allowed.

This was a rational way for the UCI to handle the diverging goals of the record setters. It has been calculated (bikecult.com) that Eddy Merckx required a sustained effort of 485 watts while Francesco Moser's effort on a modern time-trial bike with disc wheels that took him over a kilometer further needed only(!) 446 watts.

It is also interesting to note that the cadence of successful record holder has hovered near 100 rpm for the last centrury.

The 1893 record setter, Henri Desgrange, later became the founder and organizer of the Tour de France.